


The Colors of the Snow

by Leniati



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Angst, I honestly feel bad, M/M, More tags will appear as the story progresses, Starvation, The Flare, Torture, Violence, Virus, it's not the same last city as in the movies, poor children, they are all here +/- 20 yrs old
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-17 22:46:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17569376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leniati/pseuds/Leniati
Summary: The last city. The last hope to survive after The Flare washed over the planet and a never ending winter settled down.The last hope for survivors who were left.The last hope for a bunch of kids hiding from the W.I.C.K.E.D.Until the city becomes the most dangerous place in the world. But once you're in there's no way out.----or Thomas and the others escaped the W.I.C.K.E.D. and reached the last city in hopes to find a safe place for them. Until the flare breaks down there too but the city is closed down by the government in hopes to stop the virus spreading any further. And those inside are left to survive on their own.And W.I.C.K.E.D. is still searching for a cure. Still searching for them.Thomas has something quite special about him, that he doesn't know yet. Something W.I.C.K.E.D. would crave.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story was actually inspired by the tradegy of Leningrad during the World War 2. 
> 
> xxx 
> 
> English is not my first language so I'm terribly sorry if I made any huge spelling or grammatical mistakes! 
> 
> Oh boy, this fic is gonna be angsty, buckle up!

_‘’Tommy!’’_

Have you ever wondered if cold has a sound? When your world is covered in snow all around you all the time you start noticing it’s sounds. The quietness is different. It has that crispy feel which sings it’s own melody of quietness. It changes the sounds. The voice calling his name, it flows differently, as if it dances with the snow all around it and changes it. Thomas could swear that’s how the language of angels must sound like. Distant echo of the quietness of the snow and frost. 

_‘’Thomas! Please open your eyes, love’’_

His eyelids felt too heavy. The chest where his head was resting on and arms securely encircled around him provided some kind of warmth. It wasn’t much, but it still lulled him to sleep.

Too bad, said arms retreated and a gust of cold wind replaced them. Thomas shivered but soon felt those warm fingertips caressing his face and gently shaking him. 

_‘’You’re so cold… c’mon, baby, we’re almost here’’_

Then he felt cold lips press onto his forehead. And at that Thomas finally slowly opened his eyes.

The world was the same cold hell hole made out of blues, whites and blacks. Just as he left it when he closed his eyes. But who cares about that when you have the brightest sun of them all right in front of you? A bright being with golden hair, light-pouring eyes and angelic face. No matter blue shivering lips or bags under the eyes, nor the frost covering the eyelashes, for Thomas it was still the most beautiful view. 

Newt. 

‘’You scared me a little there’’ the blond sighted in relief ‘’it’s dangerous to fall asleep while this freezing’’ Newt’s hand travelled up from Thomas’ cheek to brush hair out of his face and then put the glove back on his hand.

‘’I’m just tired…and cold’’ Thomas sighed and nuzzled into the crook of Newt’s neck.

‘’I know’’ the blond murmured and pressed a small kiss to Thomas’ shoulder, encircling his arms around Thomas again and pressing him close to his chest. 

‘’Here’’ Minho, who was sitting behind them, untangled one of his scarfs and shuffled closer to put it on Thomas. Newt sent him a grateful look. 

‘’While you were sleeping, princess’’ Minho smirked as he finished knotting the scarf on him ‘’you didn’t even notice that we’re almost finally here’’

‘’What?’’ Thomas raised his head from Newt’s shoulder.

‘’Yes, Tommy’’ Newt smiled brightly at him, his eyes sparkling with wonder and his nose playfully touching Thomas’  ‘’Look up. The city. You can see it now, it’s beautiful…’’ Newt turned to the other side to look at something, Thomas followed his motion and then he saw it too. In the distance of never ending planes of snow, on the horizon of the view, which barely changed anywhere you go, was finally something else. Something new. It was still quite far but you could already see tall buildings. A lot of them. And a huge wall surrounding the whole city. Now it has ceased snowing for a moment and the sun reflected from the roofs made the city look as if it was sparkling. Thomas looked around. Now you could see a lot more  wooden carriages moved by horses, just like theirs, coming from different directions towards the city. 

The last city. The city of hopes. Of new beginnings.

Thomas turned back around smiling to Newt and his friends. His family. Seven of them endured so much, survived so much, escaped from W.I.C.K.E.D. and now finally _finally_ everything will be better, they will start new. They were all huddled together with bunch of other people in a half good wooden carriage, with no roof, traveling like this for days  now. They were all covered in snow, tired and freezing, wearing as many layers of clothes as they had. And staying as close to each other as possible to provide atleast a bit of warmth.

But now, after everything, they were so close and you could see the hope sparkling in all of his friends’ eyes. Brenda and Teresa were tangled together and both hugged by Gally from behind, Ben sat hugging his knees between them and Minho and next to him sat Newt hugging Thomas close. They were now all looking at each other silently and smiling.    

\------------------------------

They entered the city couple of hours later. A lot of people, survivors just like them there flooding inside the walls of the city. You could hear laughter and see smiles plastered on everyone in the streets, there were even some small children cheering. The atmosphere was great, you could read hope written all over the faces of everyone. People were saying hello, shaking hands with each other, groups and families were searching for houses assigned by the government to them.

Thomas and his group were now storming into their new house now, cheering and laughing. Just as they shut the door everyone cheered and talked over each other of how warm is here, how beautiful inside is, how cosy. Brenda and Teresa hugged each other and screamed out of pure joy and soon everyone joined in to the huge group hug, nobody seemed to be able to stop smiling and laughing. They did it! They were finally free and safe and happy! 

Later on Thomas and Newt entered their own soon to be bedroom. While Newt relished in soft mattress of the bed (a bed! Something they haven’t seen nor had in a while) Thomas went to look through the window. It was snowing outside. Harsh and unforgiving blizzard. As always. But now instead of constantly freezing they were safe in a warm house. And he could even smell pancakes Brenda was already making! 

Suddenly he felt arms encircling his waist from behind and he turned around to meet a bright smile of a boy he loved dearly.

Newt cupped Thomas’ face, smiling widely.

‘’We made it’’ he said as though he still couldn’t quite believe that and laughed. Then peppered Thomas cheeks with kisses.

‘’We will build a huge fireplace in the living room!’’ he would say and then kiss him again ‘’and we will collect a lot of books here. Hell, we will write some ourselves!’’ a kiss ‘’we will get ourselves a dog!’’ another kiss until Thomas became a giggling mess.

‘’When the city expands I will build us a small little house near the forest!’’

‘’And we will paint it red!’’ Thomas would add

‘’Any color you want, love!’’

‘’And maybye we will even grow some plants inside!’’

‘’Flowers, vegetables…’’

‘’Avocados!’’

‘’That’s quite bloody specific but hell yeah, why not!’’

‘’And we will make pasta every Friday!’’

‘’And invite Minho, Brenda and the others over!’’

‘’And sometimes we will just lay in bed whole day!’’

‘’And when the spring comes I will marry you!’’ Newt says.

‘’Marry me?’’ Thomas laughs breathlessly, Newt’s enthusiasm was intoxicating, his whole being was shining, he was brighter than the sun, it almost blinded Thomas to look at his smile ‘’Newt, the world has ended!’’ he laughs ‘’people don’t even do that anymore, who would even marry us?’’

‘’I don’t care!’’ Newt throws his hands

‘’I could do it’’ Minho’s voice piped in. Him, Gally, Ben, Teresa, Brenda were all peeking in through the door wearing sheepish smiles.

‘’Agreed!’’ Newt laughs. And then everyone cheered.  

 

\-------------

As Thomas remembers all of that now, that was probably their happiest time, he thinks.

Well…

Before everything went to shit. 

Before the virus broke down in the city and walls were closed so no one could leave.

Before people were starving and fighting in the streets for a loaf of bread.

Before neighbours became enemies.

Before the mass killings.

Before the sickness.

Before the deaths.

Before the cranks were roaming the streets with black veins covering their bodies.

The same black veins which are now spreading through the body of the boy he loves.


	2. Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, there will be some torture and violence in this chapter, but nothing really graphical.

**Present time**

 

Thomas was freezing. He tried warming his hands with his breath but that hardly helped. He could still hear the shouts outside of his hideout. He was kneeling in a dark corner in some street, not really knowing where he was exactly. And it was getting dark. Thomas sighed, he should really be heading home by now. He was here waiting for two days at this point. 

This madness became his life now. Two days ago he went out in search of food. And that was dangerous. After the city became infected with the flare, the government decided to lock the whole city inside the walls. You see, they think it’s better to keep all the people here starving and slowly dying than to let the virus spread any further. Until the cure was found. W.I.C.K.E.D. had the propaganda posters hanged all over the city, with the promise that their research will provide the cure someday. 

Everyday more and more people were turning to cranks, a lot of die even before that - out of starvation or cold. The streets became a warzone of survival. People are killing each other for food, atleast of what was left of it here anyway. No more are imported into the city after the closedown of the walls. But besides that, there are now countless cranks roaming the streets. Sometimes you wonder who were more deadly: them or still living breathing people?

Thomas managed to find a tiny loaf of bread, but had to run for his life because of that. He got beaten, others tried to steal it from him, but he managed to escape and hide. And he didn’t move till now, too afraid to be found again. He was securely holding the bread to his chest, not daring to eat it right now. It was meant for all of his friends, not only him. 

When the sun was almost down, he decided to finally move, otherwise there wouldn’t be any good of him if he froze here to death anyway.

He slowly got up, his frozen muscles protesting, and tried to use the shadows the tall buildings provided to get home.

\--------------

After couple of hours he finally reached the doors to their hideout. He slowly opened them. It wasn’t a lot much warmer here, but it was something. All they had to make the fire from were the furniture inside, so they tried to use as little as they could at the time. 

‘’Tommy? Is that you?’’ a weak, scratchy voice called from inside. It hurt to hear him like that. He was barely recognisable by now. 

‘’Y-yeah’’ Thomas managed, he realised he hadn’t used his voice for two entire days now. 

He instantly heard shuffling of the blankets as Newt tried to stand up, so he hurried to add:

‘’No no don’t get up! Everything’s fine-‘’ he quickly got out of his boots and rushed to Newts side. He took a quick glance around: Minho was huddled with a blanket on the ground, he greeting him with a slight smile, Brenda and Teresa were sleeping beside him, Gally and Ben were nowhere to be seen.

By the time he got to Newt, the blond barely managed to move at all. He was getting weaker by every day. Newt was infected. The virus worked in a strange way: first the infected are getting weaker and sick, coughing blood and when they reached the point of nearly death they would either die or become cranks. 

Black veins on Newt’s body were now almost reaching his neck, he was pale and had bloodshot eyes, barely managing to move at all. Most of the time he looked more dead than alive. And that broke Thomas heart.  

As he now kneeled beside his bed, Newt had a worried look.

‘’You were gone for two days, I was worried sick’’ the blond reached for Thomas hand but froze in mid movement ‘’what’s that?’’ he asked firmly and before Thomas could react he brushed Thomas’ hair out of his face and revealed the bruise blooming on his eye, his eyes hardened and his brows furrowed ‘’who did that?’’ 

And then something switched in him. Newt’s eyes became feral, he suddenly got much more life and power in him, he quickly sat up, hands tight in fists. This happened quite often now as his sickness progressed. There would be moments like this where Newt would become so angry and change in a blink of an eye to someone entirely different.

‘’Who would DARE to touch you??’’ he _growled._ It didn’t matter that the reasons for these fits of anger may be partly Newt’s, but when he switched to this mid-crank any reasons were forgotten, there were only angriness and an urge to fight someone or something. So he pushed the first person he saw – Thomas, with way too much force for someone who normally could barely move on his own. Newt’s eyes were animalistic, he didn’t recognise who he saw in front of him. His hands clenching and unclenching.

But Thomas won’t have none of it, he quickly stood up and firmly cupped Newt’s nape with both of his hands and stared at him, their foreheads almost touching.

‘’Newt’’ he said firmly, not breaking eye contact ‘’Calm. Down. ’’

This always worked, this time wasn’t an exception. Newt closed his eyes, his shoulders slumped and when he opened them it was Newt again. Tired, sick Newt, who’s whole body frame now slumped against Thomas. These crank rage fits were eating a lot of Newt’s energy which he hadn’t left much in himself in a first place.

‘’ ‘m sorry Tommy’’ he murmured against his shoulder, where the blond was now resting his head.  

‘’It’s okay’’ Thomas sighed and gently guided Newt back to lay on the bed. His eyelids were half closed now, he looked pale and his breathing was ragged. It was hard to see him like that. Newt, who was always full of life, wide smiles and brighter than the sun, now looked like an almost blown out candle light.

Thomas put some pillows against the blonde’s back so he was half sitting and joined him in the bed.  

‘’I’m sorry’’ Newt whispered again ‘’did I…’’ he swallowed ‘’Did I hurt you?’’

‘’Newt, no, don’t worry, I’m okay’’ he stroked his blonde hair in calm reassuring motions.

Newt then reached his arm to gently brush the side of Thomas face where the bruise was ‘’Does it hurt?’’ he asked. His eyes were sad and you could see angriness in them too while he inspected the hurt spot, but that was entirely Newt’s and not a crank inside him ‘’what happened?’’ he gently stroked Thomas’ cheek and then planted a soft kiss on the bruise.

‘’Got in a fight’’ then he reached inside his jacket to retreat the loaf of bread ‘’but I got as some food’’ he smiled. It was hardly enough for one person, but they were still going to split it for the seven of them.   

He tore a bit for Newt and then went to kneel beside Minho.

‘’I’m glad you’re okay Tomboy’’ he smiled a bit as Thomas gave him his peace of the bread ‘’we were fearing the worst. Gally with Ben went out to search for you’’   

Thomas was about to ask, but Minho beat him to it:

‘’Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll be fine. There’s…’’ he sighed ‘’there’s something else’’ he didn’t meet Thomas’ gaze. Confused, Thomas then looked back to Newt, blonde looked like he knew exactly what Minho was talking about. Then he exchanged worried looks with Asian before Minho spoke again:

‘’It’s Brenda’’

‘’What about her?’’ Thomas asked.

‘’She’s sick’’ 

He was about to question further when Teresa’s, who everyone thought was asleep, voice spoke behind them:

‘’She got it, Tom. She’s got the virus’’ 

Thomas turned to her, his shoulders slumping. 

Teresa was spooning Brenda in a nest of blankets. Her eyes were red, as she was gently brushing her sleeping girlfriend’s hair. She must’ve cried earlier.

Thomas was feeling devastated. That’s the least you could say.

‘’When?’’ was all he could manage.

‘’Yesterday, day after you were gone’’ she whispered.  

Thomas didn’t know what else to say, his mind was too busy, spinning around widely, so he only silently gave Teresa her bread.

They all ate their pieces in a matter of seconds. Then Thomas joined Newt in the bed, hugging his boyfriend and nestling his nose into his hair.  

\------------

When the sun was almost down he was woken up by the outside doors slamming open. Gally and Ben stormed in. Something was wrong, Thomas could tell. He slowly sat up in the bed, he heard Newt doing the same. Minho was standing by the doors, being the one who let them in. 

‘’He’s here’’ Ben spoke.

‘’Who?’’ Minho walked up to them. 

‘’Janson. He’s fucking here, in the city’’ Gally said, wearing an expression as though he himself hardly believed what he just said.

\----------------------------------

**W.I.C.K.E.D. secret base of experiments**

**2 years ago**

Thomas took of his protective glasses and frowned upon the scheme he was working on. For months now he was engineering this strange machine which W.I.C.K.E.D. ordered him to create.

And he had questions. A lot of them.

Any of this didn’t make any cense. But well, he’s not allowed to ask or question the authorities here. He learned that lesson the hard way since he was little. He worked for W.I.C.K.E.D., he grew within these walls and he never left them as well since…well since he could remember himself. Why? He doesn’t really now and he doesn’t really have a choice or a say in here. 

But now he got enough. This _thing_ he was working on, it was…disturbing to say the least. It included restrains and a brain-altering stimulation. Stimulation to trigger a specific part of the brain. And to achieve that it takes the subject down into a trance where the stimulation activates a specific corner of subconscious. And Thomas isn’t that smart for no reason, he adds two and two and knows that, to say it bluntly it means – the subject will see their worst fears in that trance and possibly will be experiencing physical pain.

‘’Eddison, why are you not working?’’ Mr. Brown, the head of this operations’s team approached him.

‘’What is this?’’ Thomas slowly turned around to face him.

‘’Pardon?’’ Mr. Brown furrowed his eyebrows.

‘’What really is this we’re making here?’’ Thomas was getting angry and threw his arms around. He saw everyone in the laboratory stop working and turning their heads to him. He saw Teresa’s worried look and the way she slightly shook her head, trying to warn him to stop. But Thomas ignored her.

‘’What is this for?’’ his voice was raising ‘’Why does W.I.C.K.E.D. need something like this? Will you… use it on something or someone?’’ 

He was breathing hard by now. He saw one of the scientists pull out a radio and urgently saying something in it.

He took a deep breath in and asked the last question:

‘’Is this a torture machine?’’  

Apparently that was enough and a hell broke loose. Armed soldiers came rushing in and took him away from laboratory.   

\------------

He knew exactly where they were taking him, way before he was led through the door with Janson’s name on it. The moment they threw him in there they left closing the doors behind them, leaving Thomas alone with the man.

Thomas slowly turned around and faced him. Janson was sitting behind a table, looking angry. Janson stood up and approached him. And then a fist connected to the side of Thomas’ face. Hard. Sending him stumbling to the other side of the room.

‘’WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?’’ Janson roared as Thomas tried to stand up, breathing hard. He tasted blood in his mouth.  

‘’I will not tolerate this’’ the man growled ‘’you compromising me like this. They need you, because there’s something about you they’re interested in so they won’t get rid of you, but I could lose this position I worked so hard to achieve, because my son’’ he kneeled down and harshly pointed a finger at Thomas ‘’is going against the rules’’.

Then Janson leaned closer, to make sure Thomas hears his every word loud and clear:

‘’I won’t allow that. You’re gonna regret this.’’  

\----------------

He was quickly taken away from Janson’s office then and put into this cell where he was now. It’s been a week since he’s here. Thomas was locked here all the time, never leaving.

He missed his friends. He missed Newt.

At the thought of the blonde Thomas hugged his knees tighter and burrowed his head in between.

He was lonely, scared, cold and his bruised cheek still hurt.

And he missed the blonde _so much_. Newt would hug him close to his chest, where Thomas would feel safe, he would be gentle with him, would lovingly hold him.

But Newt wasn’t here. Thomas was alone in this cold dark cell.

And he was scared.

He knew Janson. He knew his father’s threats weren’t so simple. The imprisonment just wasn’t it, he was planning something else. 

Thomas sighed. He hoped that atleast his friends were alright. He wonders what they have been told of Thomas, of where he was gone. Newt was probably worried sick about him. 

And then he heard the doors being opened. Thomas furrowed his brows, it was too early for the food delivery. He turned to the door. There stood Janson with a smirk. He said nothing as two guards came from behind him and started escorting Thomas out.

They followed Janson through never ending corridors, to the section of the facility where Thomas has never even been to.

‘’Where are you taking me?’’ he finally asked.

Janson turned one more corner and as they reached some kind of doors he finally turned to Thomas:

‘’If you’re so smart to question your work, you should be the first one to see it in motion’’ he said with fake playfulness. And that scared Thomas.

They stepped into the room. It had only one table in it and a huge glass window in front. Behind the window was another smaller room. Thomas took one step closer and then froze in his place when he realised what he was seeing.

The machine he refused continue building a week ago now stood there. They finished it, it was ready to use. Before Thomas could ask anything Janson ordered to the soldiers:

‘’Bring him in’’

And then immediately on the other side of the window Thomas saw Minho being led into the room.

‘’Minho!’’ Thomas called.

‘’Don’t even bother, he can’t hear you or see you’’ Janson blurted. 

Thomas struggled to come closer the window, but two pairs of hands were restraining him.

‘’What is the meaning of this? Why am I here?’’ he heard Minho ask two soldiers who led him there. But no one answered him and soon started strapping him to the machine, quickly sedating him so that he wouldn’t struggle.

Thomas watched all this horrified, then quickly turned to Janson:

‘’What are you doing?’’  

‘’You must learn that your actions might have consequences for others’’ 

‘’No no no no’’ Thomas was shaking his head ‘’Minho has done nothing! You can’t do this!’’

Janson ignored him and was looking at the window now, where Minho was now injected with the stimulant and being plugged on various machines around.

‘’Please stop this! It’s not his fault’’ Thomas was begging now, he was desperate.

Janson still didn’t answer. 

‘’Dad, plea-‘’ but now Thomas was interrupted by Minho _screaming_. 

‘’No!’’ Thomas trashed around in the grip which was holding him, but couldn’t get out. Minho’s screaming increased by every second and his ragged voice of agony was now filling the room.

‘’Please stop this!’’ Thomas was shouting, tears streaming down his cheeks. He trashed around wildly but the soldiers holding him were stronger, he could feel the bruises forming on Thomas’ skin under their grip.

Minho screamed and screamed and Thomas had only one thought flooding his mind.

He helped build that thing. 

_He helped build that thing._

He was crying and beginning for them to stop this, but nothing changed. 

But eventually everything stopped. It has been 15 minutes.

It felt like hours for Thomas.

He watched them unplug Minho. He noticed a vial of blue liquid which appeared out of all of this, but he had no idea what that was. 

Thomas could barely look at Minho, he…he looked horrible. Scared. And tired. Finally the asian half opened his eyes. Janson then took out a microphone and now his voice could be heard in a smaller room on the other side of the window as well.

‘’Thank Thomas for this’’

But Minho lost consciousness soon again and was carried out of the room.  

Thomas was now kneeling on the ground, head hung low. Janson walked over to him.

‘’You will never question things ever again and you will do what you are told’’ he ordered in a low voice and then left the room.

Soon after that the soldiers made him get up and they there about to leave the room, but they stopped at the door for a moment. Something was discussed over the radio, Thomas didn’t bother to listen. But a stack of papers on a table near by took his attention. It was far for Thomas to make out clearly but he saw a bunch of profile photos of… him, Minho, Newt, Gally and the others. And on the top of the paper was written ‘’ **THE MAZE project. Starting in 5 months** ’’.

‘’What are you looking at?’’ a soldier harshly nudged him and then Thomas was led out of the room. Still shaken and with wet cheeks.

The papers he managed to see bothered him.

What was The Maze? He had no idea.

But after all that happened today, he had only one thought on his mind.

They had to get out of here.

\--------------------

**Present time**

There are three ‘’last cities’’. One where Thomas was now, the other where the government is and last one where W.I.C.K.E.D.’s base is. There used to be the fourth one, one more base for W.I.C.K.E.D., but it was destroyed in the flames when Thomas and his friends escaped it. And with that Thomas thought he’ll never hear about his father ever again.

But, well…

He was here.

He.was.here.

And that unsettled him deeply. First of all, if no one was let in the city or out of it, so why Janson was an exception?

But the more important question was _why_ was he here? He’s a selfish man and out of all the people he would be the last one to risk his health and come to the infected city.

What is he doing here? What does he need?


End file.
